Forbes shuttled back and forth between San Antonio and Austin this year, appearing in 36 games for the Spurs and 19 for their D-League affiliate. He exploded for 27 points in a meaningless April game against the Mavericks, a showcase of his tremendous offensive prowess. He actually earned some healthy run in the Spurs' final game against Golden State, scoring eight points in 24 minutes.

The fearless Latvian's boundless range, chuck-it-up attitude, and stirring athleticism turned him into an immediate fan favorite. He reached double-digit scoring figures in 12 games and poured in a career-high 21 in a January 7 win over Charlotte. He's earned himself a larger spot in the rotation for next season.

The 20-year-old sure looks like the future. Murray's breakout came in Game 5 against Houston, with the Leonard-less Spurs trying to closeout the Rockets out the road. His line in that rout: 11 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals. He made eight starts during the regular season, helping the Spurs score wins over Cleveland (14 points, 5 assists), Toronto (11 points, 3 assists), and Denver (24 points). He's still a streaky shooter and proved susceptible to the classic mistakes that plague most rookies, but Murray has the makings of another late-round steal for the Spurs.

Anderson never made the leap many expected. His numbers dropped nearly across the board as other reserves like Simmons, Lee and Dedmon earned more minutes. Still, he'll turn 24 in September and his size (6-foot-9, 230 pounds) and point-forward abilities remain tantalizing. But for Anderson to really unlock his potential, he may need to get out of San Antonio.

11. Kyle Anderson Anderson never made the leap many expected....photo-11787864.145702 - |ucfirst

10. Jonathon Simmons

Here's some trivia to toss out next time you're at the bar: Who led the Spurs in defense rating? If you guessed Simmons, good job. In fact, Simmons' 96.7 rating was the best among all players who appeared in at least 41 games and averaged 10 minutes per contest. Offensively, Simmons is still prone to stretches of volatile play, something Popovich doesn't abide (unless you're Ginobili). But Simmons made himself some serious cash with his playoff performance. After playing sparingly in the first round against Memphis, Simmons was fantastic against Houston and Golden State. He averaged 14 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 rebounds in the conference semis and finals, and also managed to bother Kevin Durant with his defense, no small task. The only question remaining is whether he'll be in a Spurs uniform next season.

Forget those four scoreless games against Memphis. Ignore his career-low scoring average. Pay no heed to his abnormally low 2-point field goal percentage. The second-oldest player in the league is still magical. Ginobili finished third in offensive rating (111) and fourth in net rating (10.4) and remained the spiritual leader of arguably the league's best bench unit. In what may have been the final playoff series of his career, Ginobili averaged 13.8 points on 59 percent shooting against perhaps the most loaded squad in league history.

Dedmon's first and potentially only season in San Antonio was a rollercoaster. He served as a solid, defensive-minded reserve until the end of January, when he replaced the injured Gasol in the starting lineup. He averaged 8.1 points on 74.5 percent shooting to go with 10.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in his first 11 starts. Opponents shot 5.7 percent worse against Dedmon, the fifth-best mark in the NBA (minimum six field goals defended per game). He appeared to be the dynamic, hyper-athletic big the Spurs had lacked for years. Then he essentially fell out of Popovich's rotation during the postseason, playing just eight minutes a game.

Like the next man on this list, Lee proved to be one of the best bargain signings in the league. He was excellent as an occasional starter, averaging 11.8 points (70% FG) and 9.2 rebounds as a fill-in. He had eight double-doubles during the regular season and finished fifth on the team in rebounding (5.6) despite playing about 19 minutes per game. Lee's presence on the offensive glass was perhaps his best asset, while his superb court vision fit in well with the Spurs' scheme. Unfortunately for Lee, that success didn't translate to the playoffs, where he put up just 4.1 points and 3.8 rebounds.

7. David Lee Like the next man on this list, Lee proved to be...photo-12875951.145702 - |ucfirst

6. Patty Mills

Mills averaged a career-high 3.5 assists and drilled nearly two 3-pointers per game. He was a viable Sixth Man of the Year candidate until a January shooting slump derailed his season some. He fared well as a spot starter (12.1 points, 5.9 assists) during the regular season, but he slumped in that same role during the conference finals, shooting just 31.9 percent. Mills will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and despite his struggles against the Warriors he's going to get paid handsomely, either by the Spurs or another franchise.

Green's offseason LASIK surgery seemed to correct the shooting woes that plagued him in 2015-16. Green upped his 3-point shooting percentage from 33.2 percent to 37.9 percent, but that mark unfortunately dipped to 34.2 percent in the playoffs. He's still arguably the most underrated perimeter defender in the league and remains capable of destroying an opponent's fastbreak all by himself. He showed an improved ability to create shots for himself and others this season, but at this point he is what he is: a spot-up threat and borderline elite wing defender whose true impact is basically impossible to measure with standard metrics.

Gasol's first season in San Antonio was strange. He initially started alongside Aldridge, missed a month with a freak hand injury, then morphed into one of the league's deadliest bench snipers over the season's second half. He was unplayable in certain matchups, and his defense was at times abysmal, but he also finished behind only Leonard and Aldridge in win shares (6.4) and usage percentage (21.3). This wasn't the campaign Gasol envisioned, but he rolled with whatever came his way and never publically griped over any of Popovich's decisions.

4. Pau Gasol Gasol's first season in San Antonio was...photo-12845801.145702 - |ucfirst

3. Tony Parker

Statistically, this was Parker's worst campaign since his debut season. His scoring (10.9) and assist (4.5) averages dipped to lows not seen since he was a 19-year-old fresh out of France. Injuries limited his effectiveness during the regular season, but Parker in many ways still drove this bus. He experienced a postseason revival (15.9 points on 53% shooting, 3.1 assists) before rupturing his left quadriceps tendon. The Spurs were 10.9 points better per 100 possessions with Parker on the floor during the playoffs, proving the longest-tenured Spur is more valuable than most give him credit for.

If Zaza Pachulia is Public Enemy No. 1, Aldridge might be No. 2 – if we're using Twitter as a measuring stick. Yes, Aldridge's numbers dipped and he buckled under the pressure of constant trapping schemes in the postseason. He was also one of nine players to average 17 points, seven rebounds and one block during the regular season, and opponents shot just 43.9 percent against him at the rim. Aldridge isn't a top dog, but the Spurs fared just fine with him as their No. 2.

Shocker. Leonard is a finalist for the league's MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards, an All-NBA first team selection, and inarguably one of the five best basketball players in the world. He raised his scoring average for the sixth straight season and was the only player in the league to total at least 130 3-pointers, 130 steals and 50 blocks. He became one of five players in league playoff annals to post a player efficiency rating of at least 30 with a usage percentage over 28 and a true shooting percentage above 60. He'll turn 26 on June 29. He's only getting better.